Automatic call distributors (ACDS) are specialized systems designed to match incoming requests for service, for example a telephone call or an e-mail, with a resource that is able to provide that service, for example a human call center agent. ACDs generally perform one or more of the following functions: (i) recognize and answer incoming calls; (ii) review database(s) for information on what to do with a particular call; (iii) using this information, identify an appropriate agent and queue the call, often times providing a prerecorded message; and (iv) connect the call to an agent as soon as the agent is available.
Agents in call centers utilizing ACD systems receive incoming customer calls routed to them by the ACD system, or they place call center related calls to customers. Agents may, at their desktop, change their state with their ACD system depending on their particular situation. Possible agent states may include “Ready,” “Not Ready” and “At Work.” An ACD system may make call routing decisions based on the various states of associated agents. For example, an ACD system may route calls to an agent in a Ready state and may avoid routing calls to any Not Ready agents until their state changes to a Ready state. Visually impaired agents may utilize special software, such as Job Access With Speech (JAWS) software, that analyzes changes in the desktop and conveys a status change to the agent either through prompts or a text-to-text speech (TTS) system.